Cessna 172N accident near Bar Harbor, Maine, December 17, 1993
On December 17, 1993 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5753E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bar Harbor, Maine (Bar Harbor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A DISCONNECTED FUEL LINE WITH THE CARBURETOR NOT INSTALLED, AND IMPROPER DISPATCH OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 1993 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bar Harbor, Maine · Bar Harbor
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5753E · no longer on the register · serial 17271933
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DID NOT KNOW THE CARBURETOR WAS REMOVED FROM THE ENGINE FOR REPAIR, AND HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE WAS RECOWLED, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS PUT BACK IN ITS REGULAR PARKING SPOT ON THE RAMP. THERE WAS NO PLACARD INSTALLED IN OR ON THE AIRPLANE TO VISUALLY ALERT SOMEONE TO THE AIRPLANE BEING OUT-OF-SERVICE. WHEN THE PILOT CALLED TO SCHEDULE THE AIRPLANE, HE WAS TOLD IT WAS AVAILABLE, AND HE WAS LISTED FOR ITS USE THAT AFTERNOON. DURING THE PILOT'S WALK AROUND INSPECTION, HE DID NOT SEE THAT THE CARBURETOR WAS OFF THE ENGINE. AFTER COMPLETING THE INSPECTION, THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER BOARDED THE AIRPLANE. HE THEN PLACED THE FUEL SELECTOR IN THE BOTH POSITION AND PRIMED THE ENGINE. WHEN THE PILOT TURNED THE KEY TO THE START POSITION, A FIRE ERUPTED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 220 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,253 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 27, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BHB
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.